Ballistic missiles sold to Russia, 'intensifying' repression—and more

The Iranist for the week of September 13, 2024

Sep 13, 2024

ICYMI: Watch my TEDxTalk on Iranian Gen Z and the push for change in Iran

۱/1 Tehran transfers ballistic missiles to Russia

On September 6, the Wall Street Journal reported that Tehran transferred more than 200 Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, which have a range of 120 km (75 miles), to Russia for the Ukraine war.

Iran has already provided hundreds of Shahed attack drones to Moscow, and Russia is also building a drone-manufacturing facility with the help of Tehran. Negotiations to acquire the missiles began in September 2023 when then-Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Iran to view the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Ababil close-range ballistic missile systems (CNN). Ukraine’s only way of defending itself from these missiles is the Patriot missile defense system, which it only has a few of (Wall Street Journal).

On September 6, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations denied to allegations:

“Iran’s position vis-à-vis the Ukraine conflict remains unchanged. Iran considers the provision of military assistance to the parties engaged in the conflict—which leads to increased human casualties, destruction of infrastructure, and a distancing from ceasefire negotiations—to be inhumane. Thus, not only does Iran abstain from engaging in such actions itself, but it also calls upon other countries to cease the supply of weapons to the sides involved in the conflict.” (CNN)

On September 9, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson also dismissed the allegations, noting that “dissemination of false and misleading information regarding the transfer of Iranian weapons to certain countries is nothing more than a vile propaganda ploy and a blatant lie.” (Washington Post)

However, MP Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, who is also a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, confirmed the sales (Iran International). He said in an interview: “We have to barter for our needs, including importing soybeans and wheat. Part of the barter involves sending missiles, and another part involves sending military drones to Russia.” Asked about the reimposition of sanctions, he replied, “It can’t get any worse than it already is. We give missiles to Hezbollah, Hamas, and Hashd al-Shaabi, so why not to Russia?”

Russia has not commented on the matter. However, satellite images by Maxar captured a Russian-flagged cargo ship suspected of transporting the missiles (Sky News).

In March, the Group of 7 nations (G7) warned they would impose sanctions on Tehran if a missile transfer was carried out—a message that was repeated at July’s NATO Summit (New York Times). On September 10, the United States and the United Kingdom formally accused Tehran of supplying Russia with ballistic missiles (New York Times). The countries, alongside France and Germany, imposed sanctions on Iran Air, the country’s main commercial airliner, thereby banning direct flights to Europe (BBC News). Iranian officials and entities tied to the drones and ballistic missiles program were also blacklisted.

۲/2 UN accuses Iran of ‘intensifying’ repression of women two years after Mahsa Amini’s death

۳/3 Iran pops up during US presidential debate

On September 10, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, and former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, mentioned Iran during the debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (ABC News).

Harris said:

“But the one thing I will assure you always, I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel.”

Trump said:

“It would have never happened. Iran was broke under Donald Trump. Now Iran has $300 billion because they took off all the sanctions that I had. Iran had no money for Hamas or Hezbollah or any of the twenty-eight different spheres of terror. And they are spheres of terror. Horrible terror. They had no money. It was a big story, and you know it. You covered it. Very well, actually. They had no money for terror. They were broke. Now they’re a rich nation. And now what they’re doing is spreading that money around. Look at what’s happening with the Houthis and Yemen. Look at what’s going on in the Middle East.”

۵/5 Justice Department preparing charges for Iran hack of Trump campaign

۶/6 Iran uses Hells Angels and other gangs to target critics

۷/7 Starlink becoming more common in Iran

According to this screenshot I took from an unofficial website tracking Starlink users, Iran has the most in the Middle East (satellitemap).

OTHER اخبار/NEWS THAT MADE HEADLINES:

Human rights

۰ Woman rights defender at risk of execution: Sharifeh Mohammadi (Amnesty International)

۰ Milad Panahandeh shot twice in the head by police in front of family (IranWire)

۰ Teen bride murdered by cousin in honor killing (IranWire)

۰ Iran re-imposes travel ban on two filmmakers (IranWire)

۰ Political prisoner self-immolates in prison (IranWire)

۰ Singer begins six-month prison sentence for ‘propaganda’ (IranWire)

۰ Political prisoners jail sew lips in desperate protest (IranWire)

۰ Prominent figure indicted for torture claims and criticism of Khamenei (Iran International)

۰ Iran sentences former chamber of commerce head for criticizing government (Iran International)

۰ Iran arrests Kurdish singer amid crackdown (IranWire)

۰ Rights groups demand Iran revoke Kurdish activist’s death sentence (IranWire)

۰ Jailed rapper needs urgent care; lawyers demand release (IranWire)

۰ ‘No Execution Tuesdays’: Iran’s prisoner-Led campaign continues (IranWire)

۰ Father released after six months in prison for killing his queer son (Iran International)

۰ An increase in women’s activism alongside rising government hostility (HRANA)

۰ Iranian artists need protection from state threats – Report (Iran International)

Domestic issues

۰ President Pezeshkian calls for the return of fired students, instructors (Nour News)

۰ Hardline editor and Khamenei ally launches attack on Pezeshkian (Iran International)

۰ Leaked letter exposes Tehran Stock Exchange’s loan scandal (IranWire)

۰ Exclusive: Faezeh Hashemi unveils suffering and tyranny in Evin Prison (IranWire)

۰ Iran’s crackdown on nurses’ protests prompts concern from US, global nurses’ federation (VOA News)

۰ Holiday photos that garnered 40 million views on Persian X (Iran International)

۰ Survey finds over 90% of Iranians dissatisfied and feeling hopeless (Iran International)

۰ Sex and rebellion: How Gen Z is transforming Iran (IranWire)

۰ Self-immolation attempt after school rejects child’s enrollment (IranWire)

Foreign policy + security

۰ Iran prosecutes Trump and Pompeo for role in Soleimani assassination (IranWire)

۰ Second CIA officer in Iran for the ‘Argo’ rescue mission, dies at age 81 (AP)

۰ Germany and Iran in tit-for-tat spat over Islamic center closure (Nikkei)

۰Iranian dissident gang-raped in Germany by alleged ‘Islamic Republic loyalists’ (Iran International)

۰ Paris court charges couple in Iranian plot to kill Jews and Israelis (Iran International)

۰ Israel allegedly strikes Syria area believed to house Iran forces (Times of Israel)

۰ Iran’s IRGC chief boasts of attacks on ‘Israeli ships’ (Iran International)

۰ How Qatar replaced Oman in the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy (IranWire)

۰ IRGC arrest 12 Afghans amid intensified crackdown on migrants (Iran International)

Sports

۰ How Morteza Mehrzad, the world’s second tallest man, spiked Iran to Paralympic gold (New York Times)